Investigating the Assassinations [Private/Plot]

Ari screamed out in fury as she tried to slash at the image of Lilly again, ignoring the voice of the man to her side begging her to stop. Lilly was the source of all of this, the psychotic child was dragging her into madness. She would not go without a fight. She did not hear the large door open to her other side, but she did notice the flare of sunlight that hurt her eyes. And when her father's voice came booming across the room, she looked up in innocent fear, certain the voice was another nightmare.

"Daddy?"

Adamus looked in stunned horror at the sight of Ella on the ground, looking half-mad and lost.

"Ella, baby? Are you okay?"

He was not expecting Ari to come lunging at him with the chained dagger in her hand, seemingly intent on digging the blade into his chest. His borg rebuffed her and he tightened his grip on his wand as he shot a look up to Elric.

"What is wrong with her? WHAT HAPPENED?"

He kept one eye on Ariella while glancing at Elric, stunned when Ella collapsed to the floor in tears. When Elric spoke, he could hear pain and panic in his friend's voice.

"Adamus, thank goodness you are here. She... She's mad. She took me and Lilly hostage.... she said she was going to frame us! I didn't want to hurt her, so I tried tying her up, but I couldn't find you! Adamus, she... she killed Evie... she kept saying Evelyn deserved to die, that maybe now her mother would appreciate her talents. I think she has snapped, Adam."

Adam shook his head, not wanting to believe his friend, even with the evidence in front of him. Ella was covered in blood from numerous wounds, but he could tell all of them were shallow. Elric was serious when he said he wasn't trying to hurt the girl. If he had wanted to, he could have killed her by now. And he had seen with his own eyes as Ariella tried to hurt the poor pink-haired child.

"Ella, sweetie... why? Is it true?"

Ari kept sobbing into her hands, large hiccuping cries as she heard Elric's words. Had she really said those things? From the corner of her eye, she saw Lilly with that same maniacal grin on her face from the schoolroom and something inside of her snapped. If she could just get rid of the little monster, the nightmare would go away and she would wake up with her daddy brushing her hair from her face, telling her everything would be okay. With a lunge forward, she tried to drive her blade into the girl, not noticing that her blade met no resistance. She could see blood pouring from the imaginary wound she had inflicted and she could hear Elric cry out for his daughter, but she did not care.

Adamus saw what Ella was prepared to do, saw the blade slash at the little girl. When Ari reared back to finish what she had started, Adam's heart broke and he raised his wand, tears in his eyes as he began murmuring to the rukh. He could not let the result of he and Evelyn's neglect end another child's life.

At some point during the last leg of the journey back to Reim, Azix saw Madam Trixie's ship heading towards Imuchakk, carrying the next wave of workers. He had visited with the Pirate Queen, allowing Garret, Yua, and he a chance to stretch out their legs and to stock up on food. After speaking with the workers, giving them quick instructions on what to expect and how to act, they made a hurried departure.

A few days later they arrived in Portsmouth, which was still nowhere near close enough for Azix. It seemed Carmen had left word for Garret to meet her in Remano. With that in mind, the orange magician was back on his carpet with Garret, and Yua if she went along. Traveling South-West towards Remano, Azix received a third message from Ariella in the Journey Book. Although the yellow magician had written a few short lines, Azix could tell she was either suffering from a lack of sleep, wracked nerves or a combination of the two. At least he knew she was alive, which was good news.

When they reached the Capital City, Azix angled the carpet in a descent to travel low over the city, aimed towards his house. It was good luck that had them pass flying over a warehouse district along the same path that Carmen took. It was bad luck that Azix didn't recognize her, nor was he paying much attention to the people below. His mind was preoccupied on other matters and it would be up to Garret's keen senses to point her out.

If he was alerted, Azix would direct the carpet towards her to settle a few inches off the ground. "Have you seen Ariella? Do you know what's going on?"

Garret was teaching Yua the ropes on how to handle the Magic Carpet, explaining how to make it move to their will. She managed to catch on fairly fast, and Garret mentioned as much. "You've got experience, having learned so quickly, with magic tools?" The probe was to learn a bit more about her background. He had no doubt that a thief as skilled as her had likely come across such objects in the past in her line of work, but he wondered how much of that was actually used in her line of work.

"Yup yup. Had a client, once, that gave me a magical tool in order to frame a theft on somebody else. Can't speak much on it, y'know confidential and all that, but lets just say Illusion magic is pretty nasty and leave it at that, right?" She hummed a tune in confidence as she flew their carpet forward.

Garret continued to ask her questions on what she could do, what he could expect from her, and other things along those lines. She continued to explain her skills, anything from burglary to blackmail, planting evidence and eavesdropping, as well as tailing or shadowing targets. Security breaching and security defenses. "And I'm really good at it, too, sir! You can count on me to get it done without a hitch!" She slammed her fist into her palm to accentuate her announcement.

Garret took over the flying of the carpet from Yua as she slammed her hand into her fist, letting go of it for a short moment. The two made eye contact, and Garret sighed. "You know, I've caught you twice after having made noise." Garret spoke of the time at the Villa, as well as the more recent time in the Imuchakk Village. He raised an eyebrow, awaiting for an explanation from his newest hire.

His mention of the occasions brought a blush to Yua's face. "That's... That's just a fluke! Twice! It won't happen a fourth time!" She had skipped the third time completely, as if she knew it was going to happen at least once more. From then on, however, she pretended to be asleep. No question would wake her up.

Garret simply shook his head. Once his shift was over, he went to get his own rest. A few hours after Garret had first lay down, Yua 'woke up' in order to speak to Azix. She moved across the carpet, and was about to poke Azix's shoulder to get his attention before having second thoughts. Instead, she simply stared at the water as they rushed past it.

The constant exertion from having to drive the carpet and feed it magoi would have overtaken the three quite easily, had they not been working it in shifts. Even so, the energy it took was incredible, and their food stores were dwindling quickly. Whether it was a matter of fate, or simple luck, the group had crossed over Madam Trixie's ship. Azix had them touch down upon it, giving them an opportunity to stretch out while he secured additional supplies for the final stretch of the trip.

Garret, taking him up on that offer, brought out his blade and told Yua to bring out her own weapons. She reluctantly put on a pair of 'cat's paws', claw-like weapons with braces inside the gloves to allow easy puncturing. "If you're going to work security for me, I'll need to know how reliable you really are." While that was the excuse he was giving her, he truthfully just wanted to stretch out his muscles. He had not been able to get a real workout in during their trip so far, and he was not going to waste this opportunity. The two of them fought, and though Garret seemed to be winning at first Yua began to get the upper hand. The magician was still not quite skilled with the sword in battle, and Yua's primary hesitation came from her recalling her previous fight with the magician in which she still had the scar to show for it. The return to a normal pace for the thief included the use of her Magoi Manipulation ability, boosting her speed greatly and giving Garret even further troubles.

When Garret put his blade away, however, and against common conventions, his ability to keep up with her drastically increased. They continued at their mock fight for some time while Azix caught back up with Trixie, and the fight eventually concluded with Yua being the victor due to Garret's stamina not being on par with the woman. The exertion and enjoyment the spymaster had from the training was evident on his face, with an unusual and rare grin showing itself. When Yua pointed it out, however, Garret's smile disappeared and he returned to his normal serious self. It looked as if everything was ready to go, and so the group hopped back onto the carpet and made haste to the port city of Portsmouth.


When they arrived, Azix had them check in at one of the local inns that was secretly owned by the Kou operations. It was there that they were informed, in code of course, that they needed to head towards Remano immediately, as Carmen had some important information for them that the needed to hear immediately. The message was a bit old, but they were informed that they would need to make their way over without wasting any time, regardless of how late the message reached them.

Upon exiting the establishment, Garret couldn't help but notice all the Kou ships that had come to port recently. It wasn't anything particularly large, but big enough to bring a decent sized force over. It matched the description that was given to him by Azix. Garret shook his head, wondering exactly what Sato had in mind against such odds. Those wandering thoughts were dismissed as he focused on the matter at hand; making sure Azix made it in time to save Ariella. They hopped back onto the carpet and made their way quickly towards Remano, and began to fly over the warehouse district of the city. He quickly patted Azix on the shoulder as the man flew over Carmen. "Azix! Pay attention to your surroundings! Don't forget the basics, especially during an important time like this. Carmen's right over there." He brought Azix in the correct direction, and they flew towards the regional director of Kou intelligence operations for Remano.

Carmen had a face of relief as she saw that both Azix and Garret had arrived. Skipping the inquiries in regards to who Yua was, she gave the three the information they were looking for. "Trouble, kidnapped by the assassins. Narrowed it down. Four warehouses down, that way. Adamus is there, needs help. Fast." She didn't have time to give them a full explanation, and mentioned part of it with hand signals. Garret nodded towards her, dismissing her, and braced for Azix to take off towards the aforementioned warehouse.


OOC:

Household Member Wordcount: 1175/3000

When Azix and Garret would arrive at the warehouse, they would find the door wide open with Adamus standing there, shaking with his wand in hand as he murmured to the rukh, tears streaming down his face as he struggled with what to do. He did not want to hurt Ariella, but it certainly appeared as though his daughter had lost her mind and was attempting to take the life of a small child.

What he was too caught up in the moment to noticed the faintest shimmer of rukh that indicated it was not, in fact, Lilly, but rather a very skilled illusion. He did not notice that Ariella's blade met no resistance, he saw only the blood produced by her blade. He did not notice Elric to the side with his wand discreetly directing the rukh. He had sent Lilly away long ago, wanting her as far as possible from whatever might happen. With her newly silver hair, no one would recognize her. Hopefully, he would be able to meet up with her later, once Ariella had been dealt with. So far, it looked like Adamus was buying his story - hook, line and sinker. He hid the small smirk that crossed his lips as he noted that Adamus had finally stopped murmuring to the rukh and his face had hardened into a familiar mask of the Admiral that did whatever was necessary. With any luck, soon Ariela would be in a wreathe of flame and heat that would ensure she was no longer a problem for him.

As soon as Carmen pointed out where Ariella and Adamus were, Azix used Sakeru and charged towards the warehouse, with the speed of a Fanalis. Before he entered the building, his Rod of Pestilence was in hand. A curious scene was displayed before him and he only had a few moments to analyze the situation before acting. Red Rukh fluttered around Adamus, Ariella was on the ground a ways before him, and a strange man stood to the side. Next to the yellow magician stood, at first glance a small, wounded girl, but after a double-take realized it was an illusion. While the orange magician considered himself quite adept at illusions, whoever conjured this one was beyond his skill. If it wasn't for his own proficiency in light magic, Azix wouldn't have been able to catch the tell-tale signs.

"The girl is an illusion," He shouted as he ran towards Ariella to stand in the path of whatever spell Adamus may send.

His eyes fell to Ariella and his heart broke to see her look so broken. Something inside him snapped and Azix aimed his wand towards the stranger. Out of everyone in the room, the man was the only logical choice as the culprit for the spell. Azix conjured Kage Youhiki near the illusionist, forming two large tendrils which would wrap around the man, immobilizing him.

Kneeling at her side, Azix put a hand on her shoulder, "Ari, it's ok. I'm here now. What's going on? Is that Father?" He pointed towards Elric, keeping the man within his peripheral vision. On closer look he could see the small cuts along Ariella's back and note the signs of fever. His eyes lit aflame at the sight and it took all his willpower to keep a cool head.

If Ariella affirmed that Elric was father or pointed out that he was responsible for her wounds, Azix would nod slowly and stand up. With his free hand, the orange magician would reach for his metal vessel and turn to Elric. ""O' Djinn of Plague and Pestilence, create a catalyst of change that infects corruption. Lend me the power to purify the world anew. Spread, Cimeies!"

With the chant complete, Azix's appearance would change in a flash of green light as he assumed his Djinn Equip. As the light faded, Azix flew forward with his silver sword pointed towards Elric, at the ready should the magician throw any spells his way. He would Slash at the man's Borg when he got within range, throwing another if it failed to break. Meanwhile, Azix used Crazy Horse to grow his hair, winding it along the floor, between his legs to shoot up towards Elric's gut. Azix would time his hair-spear with another Slash of his blade, this one aimed at the assassin's throat, with Pestilent Touch activated.


[190/300]

Spoiler:

As Azix ran off with his ability, Garret overtook the Magician with the Magic Carpet that he had left behind. He handed reign over to Yua, allowing her to get them into the warehouse. The Magician flew himself and Yua towards the warehouse while Garret brought out Kuroi Shimo, his wand, and held it tightly within his left hand. There was a battle ahead of them, and the Blue Magician wanted to ensure that he was prepared for it before somebody managed to get the drop on him. Extending his senses in order to take note of any opponents coming towards them before they reached their destination, Garret simultaneously took mental inventory of the rest of his equipment. Desceld, his blade, rested in its spot upon his left hip. An easy area for the man to draw it from, should he need to. The Spritely Plague Shield was fitted as comfortably upon the Magician's back as it could be, mounted on a strap that also held one of his other weapons; Marux. The umbrella rested diagonally, sitting behind the shield, with its folded canopy and tip pointing towards his left foot, and the handle ready to be grabbed by his right shoulder. The Operative had a pair of bandoliers. One of which was strapped diagonally across the front of his body, and the second of which was strapped around his waist in a similar manner as a belt. His chest bandolier held within it the Prismatic Dagger, as well as some smoke bombs and flash-bang powder bombs. His waist bandolier also held additional smoke bombs and flash-bang powder bombs.

Garret mentally nodded to himself; only a second had passed, and they were already upon the warehouse door, which was opened wide much to the Magician's amazement. The two of them moved without caution, no hesitation in moving forward, an action Garret would have disapproved of had it been under different circumstances. Yet the man had made the decision because they could not afford to lose any time. Garret soon found that it had proven to be the correct choice. Right as they reached the doorway, where the light from the sun no longer made it difficult to see the showed interior of the building, Garret witnessed a difficult situation. Time seemed to halt to an incredibly slow speed as his mind worked as fast as it could to understand the sight before him.

The first thing he noticed was Adamus. He stood firm and resolute, with his shoulders and back straightened out. The man held his wand in hand, pointing it towards his opponent and the Rukh were beginning to dance before his will. The second thing Garret noticed was Ariella. He did not see as she attempted to stab Lilly with her blade, but she did see blood on the blade and understood that the woman's target was the child. There was no time for Garret's emotions to register, though if there was it would likely have been a mixture of surprise and approval; while he did not care for executing children, in his line of work he believed that you may occasionally find yourself matched up against an opponent that you cannot go easy on. That meant one or the other would die, and if her resolve to stay alive outweighed her desire to not kill a child who could kill her, then she would most definitely be a person he could trust with Azix's life, when he was not there himself. Regardless, those thoughts did not have the opportunity to bloom yet. Due to his positioning on the carpet, he did not see Elric right away.

The slowed time began to speed up once again, as his mind finished processing what his eyes caught immediately upon arrival. Garret's feet were already pushing him off the carpet. The wand he had drawn earlier slid across the thumb of his right hand, puncturing it and drawing a drop of blood in the process. Garret's descent towards the man had just begun as Garret shouted at the same time Azix warned of the whole matter being an illusion. "Rithux! Defend Ariella!" His wand was pointed towards a spot in front of Adamus that would hopefully be able to intercept the spell he was casting. Though it was likely that Garret's descent and shout would draw the Red Magician's attention, and the Red Magician would likely react and stop him, Garret aimed a thrust of his right hand towards the man in the hopes of striking him with a River Styx Style: Deep Sea Harpoon. The Blue Magician would aim for the man's shoulder; non-lethal, if Adamus' Borg hadn't already been broken, while simultaneously threatening enough to activate the Borg and allow Garret to knock the man off balance if it had yet to be broken.

The Water Dragon quickly formed. Its ridges, contours and overall expression was well defined, and the creature immediately heeded its master's commands, making its way towards Ariella even as the Blue Magician fell towards the Red Magician. If Adamus did not somehow stop Garret from his descent, the operative's momentum would very likely knock the veteran Admiral from his standing position, and the two would fumble towards the ground with a decent amount of force.

As everything began to unfold, and Yua stepped down off of the carpet, folding it up while she simultaneously burst to the side and out of the way of the magicians. Her weapons, the Cat's Paws, were hidden within her clothes. She already watched Garret dive off of the carpet, but was not yet familiar enough with the situation to understand it fully. Also, this wasn't quite what she had in mind for work. She kept an eye out for anyone moving towards an exit, believing that at the very least she would be able to run down anyone who tried to run away. While she didn't want to fight, if it was simply hog-tying a person up, she felt fairly confident. "C'mon, this is just like that time in Balbadd..." She whispered to herself some words of encouragement, even as she knelt in a low sprinting posture in order to immediately make her move.

OOC:

Household Vessel Word Count: 1000+1175 = 2175/3000
Magoi/Stamina: 230/300

Abilities Used:

Ari shivered, upset at her inability to destroy the girl in front of her, no matter how many times she slashed weakly with her dagger. When she heard a familiar voice, she looked up with wide, bloodshot eyes. The dark smudge in front of her had Azix’ voice, but she did not trust her own mind right now. She whimpered and backed away slightly at his touch, a wracking cough making her turn to the side, blood from the large amount of poison ingested since her captivity spattering the ground. When she heard him ask about Father, she would nod absently as she backed up farther.

“Just… just stay away from me… I can’t… I don’t… am I a killer?”

She curled into a ball on the floor, unable to muster up enough energy to even try to rid herself of Lilly’s illusion, she just wanted to drift to sleep, where it didn’t hurt and she was not mad.

---

Adamus dropped his arm as Azix shouted about Lilly being an illusion, shock registering on his face that Elric would stoop to such tactics and at the sudden appearance of additional people. When he had sent Carmen for help, he had not expected such a quick response. His vision was suddenly filled with a water dragon that encircled his daughter in a wreath of water, defending her against any possible incoming attacks. He did not notice Garret until the man landed practically on top of him, knocking him to the ground with a rough ‘oomph’ as his borg broke under the pressure, but mitigated all damage he might have sustained.

“WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?”

The words of anger were the first ones that had popped into his head, Adamus not appreciating having his will interrupted, but at the same time relieved that he did not have to hurt her. His gaze shot over to Elric, who was under assault by Marquis Niraj. The words about illusions made him want to tear out Elric’s throat, who was this man to try and get him to harm his own daughter? What on earth could he be thinking? He wished to join the fray, but something about Azix’ actions made him stop. The man looked much different and was exuding more power than he had seen in a very long time. Perhaps rushing in to seek his own retaliation would be unwise…

---

Elric’s face flashed with panic. Where had the additional people come from? He was so close to his goal, the girl was almost out of the picture, dammit! He had been prepared to deal with Adamus, if need be, but the interruption of the two men and a dragon was much more than he could have planned for. He had figured that other woman would return with guards or maybe an assassin, not two powerful magicians.

When Ariella nodded at the first magician’s question, he cursed under his breath as Azix seemed to transform before his eyes. Elric gave only a moment before attempting to shoot a beam of light at the man only to have it deflected by a powerful sword. When Azix came within range, he gave no thought to his borg as he pulled his katana free. When the tinkle of broken magoi ended, he met the magician’s Crazy Horse with a skillful slash of his own blade. Having only the single sword and losing his borg cost him, though, as Azix’ blade came to slash across his throat.

His hand immediately went up to cover the wound, but he could already feel the itching, burning sensation as something else infected where the cut was. He dropped his blade only to retrieve his wand once more, preparing a large spell. If he was going down, he fully intended to take every person in the warehouse with him. With a murmur to the rukh, Elric cast a 40m wide sphere of light that would grow hotter almost instantly to deal third-degree burns to anyone in the warehouse. While he was disappointed that his plan had not played out correctly, he would do everything in his power to ensure Lilly was safe, and the only way to do that would be to destroy everyone.

Garret tumbled with Adamus onto the ground, finding himself pinning the senior magician who seemed confused and simultaneously relieved as he shouted for an explanation. Before Garret could respond, it seemed as if Azix's words had reached the Red Magician. Garret hadn't realized it had all been an illusion yet, either, however that did not stop him from working towards doing what he knew their goal there was to be; rescuing Ariella from danger. Garret wasted no time getting up. He noticed Yua to the side, and simultaneously took in the sight of Azix going forth and clashing up against another individual he had not initially seen. He looked back towards Adamus, who had a visage of rage that seemed to only be held in check by a caution born from battle experience.

The exchange of blows was furious, yet short, just as most fights were. Azix's weapon strikes made it quickly apparent that it was several levels beyond what he had experienced when sparring against the Magician in a private setting just outside of the Imuchakk Village. The blows resonated with each other, and the Borg of Azix's opponent shattered beneath the man's efforts. The Assassin was able to respond to Azix's strange attack that utilized his hair, but there was another sword stroke that cut across the opponent's throat. That would certainly have ended it, by itself, but Garret knew from personal experience that, had Azix chosen to, the festering of a plague would follow the blow and infect the man. It looked as if the entire battle had been settled completely, in just those few moments. Yet it was that very decisiveness of the exchange which had only made Garret more on alert. From what he understood from the correspondence between Azix and Ariella, as well as the difficulty that his organization has had in getting any sort of information on the pair of assassins, this man was supposed to be an incredible threat who was capable of further destruction.

As the opposing magician made movement to drop his blade, Garret mentally swore. Aloud, he shouted a command while running forward and simultaneously putting away his wand, Kuroi Shimo. "YUA! THROW ME TO THEM!" His speed wasn't truly impressive. His objective was not, however, arriving to Azix and the assassin under his own power. Instead, the motivation towards his burst forward was to close that much more distance between the two in order to efficiently use his time while awaiting Yua's speed boost. The woman was very capable at using Magoi Manipulation to increase her speed; something that Garret was well aware of, having faced up against it multiple times in the past.

Taking note of his orders, Yua pushed off the ground with all of her might. She did not understand why she had been given the orders. She only knew that she was expected to follow them, and that her boss had spoken with a strong sense of urgency. Using her maximum speed from the get-go, she crossed the distance in less time than it took for the heavily wounded Light Magician to draw his wand. She grasped Garret by the lapel, the Blue Magician silently thankful that she had yet to draw her weapons, and immediately threw Garret towards the two even as the Blue Magician simultaneously reached up to his chest bandolier in order to draw his Prismatic Dagger. I hope I have the strength for this to do the trick...

Time stood still for the Magician, once again, and a voice echoed in his mind. You, who seeks strength to defend your King, I am the Household created from the Djinn Cimeies. Will you grasp my strength?

Garret recalled the haze from the old fortune teller he had met so long ago, who had explained the household system to him. He had forgotten, or perhaps it would have been better to say that it was something that sat at the back of his mind, that this was an actual thing that could happen. There was no hesitation to Garret's answer. Of course! Grant me your power, so that I may find the strength to do what must be done!

Very well.

The Blue Magician had grabbed the dagger in response to the orange Rukh that had been gathering around the man. He knew a Light spell when he saw one, having sparred and worked alongside Azix for such a long time, and this piece of equipment was particularly effective against spells of that variety. Now, with the initial power of the Household flowing through him, Garret moved forward with a renewed confidence. As the Blue Magician poured Magoi into the blade, Garret's body flowed with a formidable power that radiated through him. It was the power of Azix and Garret's first dungeon together, Bifrons, though he knew not the name of it. Though Garret had found the blade and purchased it in the port city of Narpolia, the thought that Fate had guided him to that weapon for this very moment crossed the Blue Magician's mind briefly. He had experimented with the object, and had found that it infused the wielder with the capability of deflecting all sorts of Light Magician spells, regardless of their size.

Thus, in a very nearly comical way, Garret stumbled towards Azix and the Magician, readying himself by crossing his right hand to the opposite side of his body. Just as the Magician Assassin finalized the cast of his spell, Garret let loose the power that was coursing through him and performed a technique he had learned from the martial arts that Hasan had taught him in prison. River Styx Style: Redirecting Blows was executed, his strong back-hand imbued with the crystal power of a combination magic, connected with the spell that was being formed and forced that very spell to fire upwards and away from the group. It easily blew the roof of the building apart, simultaneously causing fires to erupt on the wood that had made up the roof's materials. Even though the Operative believed that to be the man's final efforts, there was a possibility of more to come. Regardless of his intentions, the building was now falling apart and they would need to get out of there quickly. "Yua! The carpet! Gather the survivors, we're getting out of here!" With dagger still in his left hand, Garret placed his hand on Azix's shoulder, nodding towards the opponent as if to say 'you should probably finish him.'

In the meanwhile, Yua would do her best to get Ariella and Adamus onto the carpet before rushing over to Azix and Garret to get them onto the carpet as well and get them out of there...

OOC:
Household Vessel Word Count: 972 + 2175 = 3147/3000
Magoi/Stamina: 195/300

Items Used:

Abilities Used:

Azix had yet to fight a light magician, a fact that had not occurred to him as he bat aside the beam of light. His mind was intent on killing Elric for harming the woman who had taken his heart. Azix make quick work of the assassin magician dealing what appeared to be a fatal blow to the neck. That did not stop Elric from grabbing his wand to prepare a final deadly spell. Through his rage, Azix took a step back when he saw the yellow Rukh surge around Elric. A heart beat later and Garret was at the King Candidate's field of vision, moving in to deflect the spell with a dagger. A ball of light arced upwards, crashed into the ceiling and lit sections of the warehouse ablaze.

Garret's shout barely registered in Azix's mind, the orange magician was stunned at how quick the Spymaster had arrived to defend him. Azix felt a hand on his shoulder and turned his head to see Garret gesturing to the crippled Elric. The orange magician glared down at Elric slamming his sword down into the man's intestines to gut the man. Pestilent Touch would spread a plague into the surrounding organs, providing the assassin some painful last moments.

With the ceiling and walls crumbling down, Azix spit on Elric and turned, grabbing Garret's arm. Azix pulled the Spymaster along as he flew forward towards the others where the carpet was waiting. It was time to get the Fanalis outta there.

[180/300]

Spoiler:

Ari let herself be pulled onto the magic carpet, though her fingers reached out to snag the chain on her dagger first. As terrified as she was of herself, she could not leave it behind. Once Yua had her on the carpet, she huddled in the corner by herself, trying to avoid being touched as she coughed up more blood. She was drifting in and out of consciousness every few seconds, but she did not notice, as she was having difficulty telling if this was reality or a dream.

Elric sputtered as his spell was deflected, not having a chance to curse as Azix dealt vicious wounds to him that festered. As he fell, a vial of the poison he had been using rolled out of his cloak. Adamus began to move towards the carpet, waiting until Azix had dealt vicious wounds to the other light magician before raising his own wand. He would not risk the magician making it out alive. The serpent of flame he had summoned immediately moved across Elric before circling around the building. The vial of poison shattered from the heat, destroying the poison within. Knowing it was past time to leave, Adamus hopped onto the carpet, concerned eyes on Ella. When he tried to move to hug her, she shied away, so he did not push the matter, but he was concerned by the blood dribbling from her mouth.

"Let's get her someplace to heal her. Then someone can fill me in on what in gods name just happened."

Azix joined the others on the carpet, waiting for Garret to hop on before taking control of his carpet, taking them top speed away from the warehouse. As he poured magoi into the flying carpet, Azix released his Djinn Equip and assumed his normal appearance. What was once a sword was now a necklace in the palm of his hand which he slipped around his neck. Azix noted Ariella's state and the blood dribbling from her mouth with concern. The carpet ascended into the sky as Azix directed the carpet to Opportunity Hall.

Once they arrived, Azix would attempt to gather Ariella into his arms and rush her inside. The receptionist at the counter would look up in alarm as Azix charged past, headed to a back room. He would lay Ariella upon a table before taking a step back to think, rubbing his chin with an idle hand. "If I killed her I could heal her..." He muttered to himself.

Suddenly his eyes would light up, "Aha!" Azix reached into his cloak and produced a vial of liquid in his hand. He removed the cork and put it to Ariella's lips. "A potion I got from a man named Ivan Tory." The orange magician muttered to no one in particular. The effects of the potion would occur immediately, healing most of her wounds and clear up the grogginess at the very least.

Spoiler:

Garret watched as the building was engulfed in flames as the group flew out on the carpet. A warm feeling radiated against his chest, and he pulled the ring out from upon the chain that held it, noting the magical circle that had replaced the Kou seal. The spymaster narrowed his eyes, yet that did not last very long as he considered the irony of the situation and a wry grin crossed his face. His loyalty had, during the strange course of events in his life that he had experienced, shifted from Kou to Azix. He still loved his country, and wanted the best for it, but he now followed another's banner of arms. The symbolism of the Djinn's magic removing the Kou's symbol was not lost on the operative.

Garret recalled Adamus' request as they flew; the man had asked them what had just happened. He wasn't entirely certain what to say, at first. Yet that was something Garret did not immediately dwell on; their first priority was getting Ariella healed. When the group disembarked and set foot into opportunity hall, Azix carried Ariella with haste to a room he could heal her in.

Before Adamus had an opportunity to step in, Garret placed his hand on his shoulder. If he forced his way through to the same room, Garret would follow while explaining what he knew. "Sir, you asked us what happened... But you are in a better position than us to know the truth to that. All we knew was that your daughter was following assassins, and then we found out she had been kidnapped just before we entered the warehouse... To find you, pointing your wand at your daughter and readying yourself to cast a spell." Garret spoke dispassionately, almost in the clinical way a professional veteran soldier would report details in a report. Yet after he had spoken, he looked to the elder Magician and raised an eyebrow as if to say 'What was happening in there?'

Ariella coughed and sputtered as the potion was poured down her throat, shuddering as she felt it work its way through her system. The haze over her vision seemed to be fading, though, which she was thankful for. She looked around the room, confusion clear on her face as she finally looked up at Azix, tentatively reaching a hand up to touch his face as though expected her touch to meet thin air once again. Her voice was slightly slurred, but it cleaned up as she spoke and the potion did its work.

"Azzzzix? Where... where am I? Where is Father and Lilly? Am I... am I awake? Are you real?"

Her golden hues shot around the room, one completely unfamiliar to her. All of the nightmares had been in locations she was familiar with, Elric using her own mind to craft her personal hell. The fact that she had no idea where this room was located actually filled her with relief. With reality setting in, she immediately broke down in tears as the memories flooded her mind again, her strained brain trying to filter through truth and illusion.

---

Adamus paused at the door as Garret stopped him, arching a brow at the motion, but then remembered Ariella's reaction on the carpet. He continued into the room but stayed back in a corner, sighing and running a hand through black hair frustration clear on his face. His voice was tight as he tried to relay what information he had as perfunctorily as he could.

"Ella had been following the trail of the assassins and found who she believed to be responsible. I was led to believe she and Elric Stein had been kidnapped by the assassins. Carmen and I located her, only, when I arrived, she was about to kill a child, Elric's child. He said she had been... she had been trying to set them up as the assassins... that she... "

His voice cracked and he struggled to continue.

"He said she had killed her mother, snapping under the utter disdain Evelyn showed her. That our bad parenting had caused her to lose her wits and begin murdering people. She was about to kill Lilly... I couldn't... I would not allow my own failure as a parent be the reason another parent lost their child. I was already in battle mode, ready to face enemies, and my mind immediately went to the worst solution. To simply take out the problem with my wand. It was foolish. I could not understand what was going on and... Evelyn was always at my side in battle, to ensure I stayed focused on the best course of action. Without her, I... I raised my wand to my own child and I was ready to... to... k-"

He could not continue, the rush of battle having worn off allowing him to truly consider what he had been about to do. He had almost killed Ariella, over an illusion. He should have done... anything else! He should have rushed to her side, he should have looked for signs of rukh disruption, but instead, he had simply acted in the most final manner he could. He collapsed down into a  chair, covering his face as a tear leaked from his eye. He would not fall apart here. He could not let these men see his weakness. And he could not let himself think about the fact that Evelyn, his dear Evie, was dead... and he had almost killed his precious daughter.

[Household training word count: 189/3000]

Azix gave a weak smile to Ariella as the color in her cheeks came back, the potion was working. He nodded when she brushed her hand against his cheek, overlapping hers with his own. "Yes, Ari, I'm real." He sat on the table next to her and cradled her in his arms. A cold chill ran through him as she mentioned Lily's name. The young girl had been an illusion, the real girl was still on the loose. He would have to track the child assassin down before she could harm Ariella. For now though, he provided comfort to his yellow magician.

The purple in his eye shimmered with tears held back as he stared into her golden iris. "We found you just in time. I'm sorry I wasn't here to help you sooner." While she cried cradled against him, Azix ran his fingers through her hair. "It's okay now." When Ariella had calmed down a bit, Azix gestured to the room, "We're here in Opportunity Hall, the workforce headquarters. It was the closet place I could think of." In truth, the Grumptoes safehouse was closer, but he had not wanted to reveal that location to Adamus or Yua. Opportunity Hall was a public place that Azix would be expected to go if anyone happened to be observing his movements.

He then turned to Adamus and saw the grief in the heat magician's posture. Azix dipped his head towards Ariella's father, "Your father is here too. He helped us rescue you." A white lie, one that Ariella might not notice at the moment, or so he hoped. The man had almost killed his own daughter from being deceived and that would haunt Adamus for a long time. If Azix could give the heat magician a few moments with a grateful daughter, he was sure Adamus would appreciate it. Also, it was in fact due to the man's involvement that they had run into Carmen. Adamus had probably distracted Elric from killing Ariella sooner for all he knew.

If Adamus approached, Azix would step away, his back towards the father and daughter, so they could share a private moment. The orange magician did stay within arm's reach of Ari, his fingers entwined with hers. For the moment, Azix didn't want to be without her touch.

Garret turned away from the sight, sparing the man's dignity from a grevious blow. Garret wanted to console the man. I may have done the same thing, in his position. If I saw a family member attempting to kill Azix, I would likely strike them down. While he believed in those thoughts, the man never knew much about his family. He had some memories, which were hard to recall, of his parents... But the only other family he truly had was his uncle... Whom he had murdered with his own hands. The experience of killing a member of one's own family was exhausting. Yet Garret had felt a short exhiliration of freedom, as well. That moment in his life was etched strongly upon his mind, though Garret was more than certain that a large reason behind his relief at the ending of his uncle's life was due to how he had been treated.

Instead of offering consoling words, Garret offered words of warning as Azix administered the potion. "You will likely have a hard time with her if she remembers what happened. But it's best not to run, though you probably already know that... You may need the reminder. Your relationship... May not be the best." Once he had finished speaking to Adamus, Garret noted that Ariella had finished her recovery. He found they were having a rather personal moment, yet the woman's father would likely find it best to speak to her sooner rather than later. Knowing that the man did not want to be seen in an emotional state, having been there himself, Garret raised his voice so he could be heard by Garret and Ariella. He walked forward, as he spoke. "Azix, do you think we could give some time alone for her and her father?" Motioning with his head towards the door, Garret left first.

Adamus offered Azix a weak smile when the man attempted to salvage his actions, telling Ariella that he had helped them. While sending Carmen for help had, indeed, helped the lightning mage, the look on his daughter’s face clearly showed she had heard his confession. He had never seen her so angry, practically able to see the lightning she was aligned with dancing in her golden hues. When Garret went to leave the room, he noticed Azix turned his back to offer them privacy but did not leave. When he looked down at their entwined hands, he saw that Ella’s knuckles were white, she was gripping the other magician’s fingers so tightly.

Ariella refused to release Azix hand and when Garret suggested leaving her and Adamus alone, her grip became almost painful. Right now, Azix was her tether to reality. Ari called out to Garret before he left, shaking her head at his words.

“Do not leave. You all need to hear… what happened.”

She took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts as her mind still raced to filter through all of the information since her captivity. With a soft sigh, she slumped slightly, tugging Azix closer as she began explaining.

“A few weeks ago, I approached King Lagi about investigating the assassinations. I wanted to know what had happened to my mother. He gave me permission to look into them, and also offered the resources at his disposal. I immediately made arrangements to ensure I would not endanger those closest to me… to us…” She gave Azix a sad smile, letting him know she was referring to the Grumptoes, unsure of how much he had revealed to Garret about the children. “Once all of that was settled, I began looking for anyone that would be able to assist me in the investigation. Father insisted on being involved, and we managed to stumble across Carmen. Se provided information on some of the better-known assassins and we began looking into things.”

She paused, the potion was still working its wonders in healing her, but simply the topic was enough to give her reason to pause, let alone her knitting injuries. The longer without the fever, the more clearly she could remember what had happened.

“I decided to shadow the Council members, since they had been a previous target. First was Wei Tenji. That was when we were able to narrow down who the assassins were. Lilly was there… she.. oh god, she had painted a classroom in blood, the walls, the floors, even on the ceiling, there was blood everywhere. I… I froze. I could not believe someone so young, so small… could… that she could possibly be a killer. She attacked me and I did not know what to do. She broke my borg, and managed to get a few decent cuts in on me before I got out of the classroom. After that, I resolved to get stronger, to be more decisive in my actions. I could not let her put all those children at risk!”

She ran a thumb over Azix’ knuckles, keeping herself as calm as possible, trying to order her thoughts more clearly for the men in the room.

“Not long after that, a friend came to me in need of a healer, her friend had broken his leg in a cave. I went with her and discovered Jahan, a boy that owned a shop I had met once before, with a broken leg. And… he had discovered a dungeon! After healing him, I thought about how I needed… more… I needed more power, more skill, to be able to deal with Lilly and Father, so I followed Jahan into the dungeon. It taught me a lot… but, it did not give me what I needed, I guess. I continued my investigation, keeping my father in the dark about the dangers. I did not want him interfering and if I failed, I did not want to disappoint him again. I tried to keep Carmen up to date, even though I did not fully trust her. And then shit hit the fan.”

This was the part she would struggle with the most, detailing her confinement. She took another deep breath, ashamed of herself for falling into enemy hands so easily.

“I was shadowing Elric, we went to visit the port towns. On the way back from Portsmouth, I kept falling asleep. I had not been sleeping much, so I did not think anything of it. As we neared Remano, I passed out again and when I woke up, I was tied to a chair, stripped of all my weapons, my wand, everything magical at my disposal. It was then I found out what had happened to mother. She… she had followed Lilly into the hidden passage, thought she was a lost child. And Lilly… she… oh, fuck, she killed her and it was horrible. They made me watch, every second of it. And then, then everything got… crazy. Elric kept putting up illusions and my mind, it was fuzzy… hazy. Something was not right. But he showed me… he showed me visions of myself, killing people. Killing my family, my friends, the children. Everyone I held dear to me. They tried to convince me that I was the one responsible for everything. And through it all, they kept me restrained and defenseless. I drifted in and out of consciousness. And then one day, I woke up, and I was on the floor… free! And Lilly was there and I remembered my resolution. I would not let her endanger anyone, ever again.”

She looked to Adamus, her teary eyes sparking with anger.

“That was what you walked in on, Father. That was what you were going to KILL me over! You believed HIM… over your own daughter! I was so weak, I was crawling on the floor, dragging myself to try and end that threat and your immediate reaction was to kill me! I was at his mercy for I don’t even know how long, but more than a few minutes, so I had an excuse to be broken and confused. You walked in and… HOW COULD YOU?!?!? I know I am a disappointment to the family, but I did not think you so eager to be rid of me!”

She was panting in anger, those years of feeling like she would never accomplish anything, that she would always disappoint, would be the black sheep of the Negri family, crashing in. Some part of her mind recognized that the set-up Elric had in place had made the situation look dire and her father’s reaction had been in the heat of the moment, but the hurt would not be ignored.

“I may one day find it in me to forgive you, but I will never forget that you were about to kill me. I want you to leave. Now. I cannot stand the thought that my own father was about to take my life.”

---

Adamus’ face was a flurry of emotions through the tale and the words at the end made his throat lock up. She was right. He had almost killed her. He did not know how to handle that, how to process he had nearly taken her life. If it had not been for the other two men in the room, he would have succeeded. Hanging his head in shame, he accepted her berating words. Glancing to Azix and Garret, he would offer quiet words.

“I thank you two for coming when you did. You both saved my daughter’s life. Ella… I… Saying I am sorry is not enough. But one day, I hope you might be able to forgive. I… I am sorry.”

With those words, he brushed past Garret to leave the room, leaning against the wall outside to gather himself. It would not do for anyone to see him break down in tears.


[1354/3000]

Azix was about to follow Garret's advice when Ariella tugged on his hand and objected. The orange magician moved closer to the yellow magician to comfort her as she told her version of the story. He removed his cloak and wrapped it over Ariella. Azix made a mental note to thank Carmen for doing her part to assist Ariella. Having to hear what she witnessed both at the school and during her captivity sent shivers up his spine. He arched a brow to learn that she too had went through a dungeon. Azix saved his questions until she was finished and averted his eyes when she rebuked her father for his poor judgement in the warehouse.

When Adamus thanked the two magicians for their help, Azix gave a slight nod as he watched the man leave the room. After he had left, Azix turned to Ariella and shook his head. "It sounds like you've been through a lot. You don't have to worry about Elric anymore. Between your father and I, he is definitely dead. Your dad burned everything down, he was pissed at Elric. Unfortunately, we didn't see Lilly."

Sitting down on the table next to Ariella, Azix raised her fingers to his lips and placed a soft kiss on them. "So, a dungeon? What was it like? Did anyone else go? Who obtained the power of the Djinn? He gestured to Garret, "With Garret's help I was able to conquer the dungeon in Imuchakk. Cimeies gave me his power. It was a strange one, a couple rooms were filled with a swampy landscape. Garret kissed a Little Dude there too." He hoped the Spymaster didn't mind Azix making a joke at his expense. He just hoped a laugh would make Ariella feel better.

A curious thought struck him, "You said Carmen provided you information on the assassins. What other possibilities were there?"

---

Meanwhile, outside of the room, the young woman who worked the front desk approached Adamus. "Um...sir, is everything okay in there? Should I call for help? For Azix to appear out of the blue, after he was supposed to be in Imuchakk, with a wounded woman in his arms, it worried her. Usually the Marquis spared a friendly greeting at least.

Before he had an opportunity to leave, Ariella had stopped both the men from taking the exit. The blue magician listened to Ariella explain what she had been doing since they had left, paying particular attention to the details of his organization's involvement in the matter. When she had chastised Adamus, he winced inwardly while keeping a dead expression on his face. The red magician walked by as Garret frowned, a thought slowly revolving. Why was it only Carmen helping? Shouldn't there have been more assistance from HQ for something like this? He remembered his fears he had explained to Azix on the way here, now that Sato was loose in Reim. He wanted to ask Ariella if she had noted anything strange with her interactions with Carmen, and began walking up towards the two from behind Azix.

When Azix mentioned that Garret kissed a 'little dude' there, he cleared his throat and drummed his fingers on his sword, Desceld. "Careful with your context. She might misunderstand you."

He turned to Ariella while pulling out his shield. "This is what he meant. He calls these sprites 'Little Dudes'." He sent magoi through the shield and the three sprites began to form; Antha, Vix and Shel. When they appeared, they looked at Garret in confusion. Antha began exploring the room, looking around and taking in new sights. Vix approached Ariella, sitting besides her and putting an arm around her as she stared down Azix, amusement in her eyes. Shel, on the other hand, pretended not to see any of them in the room and sat down in a chair while sneaking peaks towards the group. Garret sighed. "I have a feeling they are going to be a handful."

Azix then mentioned Carmen talking about assassins, and that was something that Garret was slightly curious about as well.


OOC:
Magoi/Stamina: 165/300

Item/Ability used:

Adamus gave a gruff smile to the woman that approached, shaking his head.

“Things are better now. Just a young girl in trouble. The Marquis is seeing to her injuries, but thank you. When they come out, would you be so kind as to pass this note on to them?”

If she agreed, he would write down the inn he was staying at with an invitation that if anyone needed assistance or had questions, they could find him there. With the note written, he would stride out of the building, needing time alone to grieve for his wife and for his own actions.

---

Ariella listened to Azix, smiling when he brushed a kiss over fingers. It helped to center her, to remind her that she was not still caught in a nightmare. Even in her dreams, nothing felt real and her mind was unable to replicate the warmth the other magician brought to her chest. She felt a sigh of relief at knowing Elric was definitely dead, though news of Lilly not being there worried her. Hopefully without her father to give instructions, the tiny psychopath would cease to be an immediate worry. When he asked about the other possibilities of assassins, she filled them in on the other groups known to operate around Reim, and explained that it did not take long to exclude them as suspects due to their lack of focus in the political arena, aside from the Brotherhood of Ash.

Curling against Azix under his cloak, she warmed herself against the man, trying not to notice the dirt and blood covering her. She knew it would probably make the man uncomfortable, but she needed him to anchor her to reality. Even with the poison out of her system, her mind was arguing with itself on what had been true and what was simply illusion. At the knowledge that he had conquered his own dungeon, she smiled brightly, a giggle escaping her lips at hearing that Garret had kissed what Azix called a “Little Dude.” The idea of Garret kissing a small man made her chuckle, which grew into a laugh tinged with a bit of madness, but mostly just overwhelming amusement.  Calming her chuckles, she looked up to Azix before glancing over at Garret as the man pulled out his shield. To her amazement, from the shield sprouted three winged creatures with very humanoid figures. When one of them put their arm around her, she felt a wave of concern from the creature before she was enveloped in a warm sensation, any lingering effects of the poison fading completely. Her amazement turned to awe at the sensation and she couldn’t resist leaning forward to kiss Vex’ cheek with a smile. It seemed one of the sprites was curious, her wings beating rapidly as she wandered the room and Ari felt an aura of playfulness and joy emitting from the creature. The one that had taken a seat had a sad, mournful look on her face and seemed uninterested in everything, pretending to ignore the room.

She finally tore her gaze from the creatures and looked to Garret with a gentle, genuine smile. Her gratitude shone through her golden hues and her tone would broker no argument as to the man’s accomplishments.

“My thanks for keeping him safe, Garret. And to these “little dudes” as well, if they helped. It seems I owe you much thanks this day… you kept my… you kept Azix alive and well, you stopped my father, you protected me, and then you saved us all from Elric’s spell. You have my eternal gratitude. I can only hope to be able to repay the favor one day.”

She turned her face up to Azix with the same grateful smile.

“And thank you, my dear, for coming to my rescue. I should have been more careful. You delivered me from my own mind. You destroyed Elric and that alone is enough to guarantee that you will never have to worry about betrayal… at least not from me. Your memory kept some part of me anchored in reality, and then you came in to save the day, even if it was not on a white horse.”

She chuckled at the reference, shaking her head as she looked around the room once more, warmth spreading through her chest to know that everyone present had some hand in saving her, even the sprites. Without them, who knew if Azix would have made it out of the dungeon alive to be able to come save her. She ran her fingers through Vix’ hair idly, finding the sensation soothing.

“Seriously, thank you… everyone. I fear I would have died in that room, a victim of my own madness and my father’s ‘responsibility’ and rashness.”

At the question about her own dungeon experience, she gave a soft groan and covered her face in exasperation. The memories of Gremory almost seemed to be from a different lifetime, after the illusions and nightmares Elric had inflicted on her. Her voice was full of child-like wonder as she talked about her adventure, though, and the thoughts of Elric were shoved back in her mind.

“My dungeon experience was… interesting. Jahan, the boy that owned the shop, was infuriatingly impulsive. He had no idea how to fight with anyone and was not too keen on examining a situation before reacting to it. He just burst in, without a care or thought in the world, no consideration for what might happen to him… or to me. The first room was like a cave system, with lizard-like people there, mining stuff. I managed to keep Jahan from killing them before we knew if they were a threat, but they sent us on the correct part. We had to solve a riddle to get to the next room. Surprisingly, he knew the correct response to pass the test. I inadvertently gave the correct response, just because I was lost in thought. But, we got to move on. In the next room, the gravity was all… wonky, we went up some stairs and then were upside down! I got to fight a werewolf! Jahan helped, after hiding behind me at first. And then we got to see mermaids! They weren’t very nice, though, they turned into weird shade-like creatures. There was a glorious looking city and we walked on water… and then we had to face our own past and possible futures, which was slightly terrifying. But it did help me find my resolve to deal with Lilly, which was good, I suppose. I got a necklace from that room, it is really nifty; it’s a locket that shows loved ones I am thinking about. It showed me you a lot, before Elric took it from me.”

She gave Azix a warm smile, wondering where her belongings were, she would hate to lose that necklace. But that worry was for another time.

“Meeting the djinn was… awe-inspiring and terrifying. His name was Gremory. We had to fight a giant half-dragon… thing… his name was Leo. Jahan almost got us killed in that fight. Running in without consulting me, dividing us with no strategy. I lost my borg but was spared any injury, thank goodness. When the fight was over, the djinn, he… he ended up with Jahan, but first, he offered himself to me. I almost accepted his offer, but, then I thought about it.”

She tightened her grip on Azix’ hand, laying a kiss on it before she looked up to him.

“I don’t want to lead. It is not my strong point, and it was not something I wanted for myself. I told him no, because I already had a leader that I supported, that I wanted to become stronger for. Your ideals, what you want for this world… they are much more than I could ever hope to provide for people. But you… you can! And I would much rather help you achieve that dream, in any way I can. If you will accept me helping you, anyhow. I know you had to rescue me, but I will get stronger, I won’t be a burden to your dreams, I swear it. I want to do anything I can to support you and see your dream through to its completion. I believe that you can achieve that, and I want to be there to see it when you do. I know you have Garret as your ally and friend, but one more couldn’t hurt, right?”

She had a hopeful look on her face, knowing that the day’s events were not a strong argument for her, but after this, she would be more careful. She would do whatever it took, train as much as she had to, to help him see his dream through. She only hoped he would not try to hide her away to protect her, that he would let her be at his side, to deter what he did not see coming and to clear the path for the road he was trying to lay out. The schools and the Opportunity Initiative alone were enough to prove to her that he had the drive to accomplish his goals. If she could make things go a bit more smoothly for him, then she would.

“I have diplomacy skills that could be beneficial to you, a name that could help you obtain allies, and skills that don’t leave me defenseless, most of the time. I have been working really hard with my father and Sleuthy to be able to defend myself, and you, if need be. I can take care of the little things so you can focus on the big things. I know I can be an asset to you, if you let me. Or, if you prefer, I could just be at your side and make sure you aren’t lonely. Just… let me help you, please?”

She knew she sounded desperate at this point, but she did not care. Part of trust and companionship came the knowledge that occasionally you might look foolish.

[Household Word Count: 3000+/3000]

Gilda, the receptionist nodded and accepted the note, glad to hear everything was better. Before she could inquire further, Adamus turned and walked out of Opportunity Hall, leaving her staring between the Heat magician and the closed door. With a shrug of her shoulders, she went back to her desk, setting aside the note for now and went back to work.

---

Azix gave Garret an apologetic look mixed with a smirk, hoping he understood by Ariella's reaction, the purpose of his comment. He was surprised to learn that Jahan was a possibility, but as Ariella explained how the man had interacted with the dungeon, it was easy to understand why he was removed from the potential targets. Still, with obtaining the power of a Djinn, Jahan would have to be watched. He noted the other possibilities as well, wondering if he could do anything to keep them from interfering with Reim.

When Ariella was finished with her story, Azix smiled at her warmly, "Certainly you can join us. I would be honored to have your assistance. Oh, I almost forgot." The mention of the jewelry she had received in the dungeon, reminded Azix of his gift for her. The orange magician pulled it out of a pocket and handed it to her. "This is for you."

Garret paid close attention to the recollections of Ariella and, as time went on, considered the topics she discussed. During this time the three sprites, which were moving about and existing within the room disappeared, as if they were never there in the first place. There was mention of a variety of assassin groups, which Garret was slightly familiar with though had never come in contact with personally, asides from The Brotherhood of Ash. Though he did not know it at the time, that group was the group which had approached The Contractor in order to brief them on the situation back during the invasion on Remano.

When Ariella thanked him, he simply nodded his head in response. There was still much she wished to share so he had held back his own words. Moments later it began to get more and more personal between Azix and Ariella, and Garret shifted in place, uncomfortable. When Azix presented her the necklace, Garret felt it was time to intervene, otherwise he would be standing there watching what seemed to be an intimate moment between the two. He cleared his throat. "Well then, I hope you do not mind, but I believe now it would be appropriate for me to give the two of you some time together. Alone." He bowed slightly to the two, and turned to make his way to the door. Pausing, briefly, Garret recalled what he had wanted to say earlier. "Ah, Ariella, there is no need to count favors owed. We are friends, and allies, and as such we will continue to work together and support each other without reserve." Though he called her a friend, the truth of their relationship was slightly more complex than that. The two did not have that close of a rapport together, yet their fates had been interwoven closely due to a variety of situations, the crux of which was the Light Magician himself.

Garret opened the door, and took a step out before pausing again. Turning his head over his shoulder, he spoke to Ariella and, albeit on a different level due to what he was implying, Azix. "And feel free to use my fake or real name. I have a feeling it won't matter too much, soon enough." He closed the door behind him, and began walking to the exit before Yua stopped him in the waiting area.

"Hey, chief, the guy that was on the carpet with us left a message for everyone with the receptionist. Wanna check it out?" She retained her happy-go-lucky personality, and Garret closed his eyes while sighing. She lead the blue magician over to the receptionist, and Garret inquired as to what was left behind. Once they had obtained the information, copying it down on his own sheet of paper, Garret would make his way to the streets of Remano. He wasn't going to return to work just quite yet....

-exit-

Ariella gave Garret a nod of acknowledgement at his statement about being friends and allies, though she was not sure she would count him as friend, just yet. Still, she did trust him, and he had proven worthy of that trust in saving her life and keeping Azix alive.

“Thank you again, Gar-… Iatsu. For everything.”

When Azix said he would accept her assistance in his journey, warmth spread through her chest and when he presented her with a necklace, her breath caught in her throat. It was a gorgeous pewter pendant in the shape of a heart cradled by hands and topped with a crown. In the middle was a deep purple gem that matched her hair. As she tugged aside her hair to let him hook it around her neck, she heard something tickle in her mind.

“You wish to be stronger, to aide him… I will help.”

Afraid she was slipping back in to madness, she looked around as she felt the necklace warm against her throat. Running her fingers over the pendant, she felt something on the back in the shape of a circle. She frowned for a moment in confusion, Garret speaking about leaving them alone only barely registering and she gave an idle nod. It seemed perhaps she would have some help in growing to be more helpful to the person she had chosen to follow. Or so she hoped, because the other option was that all of Elric’s tinkering had broken her mind.

Turning her face up to Azix, she cupped his face in her hand. She was about to try and kiss him before she felt the dried blood on her face and she scrunched her nose.

“I hate to ask, but can we go somewhere that has a bath… and maybe a fire… and just possibly some cuddles?”

She gave him a half-teasing, half-hopeful look, finally becoming aware of how dirty she felt. Being tied up with no access to a wash room and then being tortured, mentally and physically, made her want to scrub her entire body in boiling water to rinse away everything that had happened.

Household Vessel:

Azix nodded to Garret when the Spymaster excused himself, "Thanks for your help. We should all get together again when things settle down. It would be best to plan for the future, considering the circumstances." Azix was talking not only about the assassin, but the news of the Kou military's arrival and Sato.

Once Iatsu had left, Azix would smile at Ariella's request, "Certainly, let us take a carpet ride. This time I promise not to take you on a date." He'd laugh, referecing the previous jobs they had done under moonlight.

He would lead her out of the room and exchange some words with Gilda. Afterwards, he went outside to where his magic carpet was still laying. The bags of gold were also laying there, strangely untouched even after being unguarded. They would then head to Azix's house where Ariella could refresh and relax.

[exit]

When Lilly wandered into the room Father had reserved for them at an inn, she found a strange man there. His pink hair made her miss her own fluffy pink hair that was now a silver color.

The Contractor gave her a friendly smile, tipping his hat as she entered.

“The infamous Lilly! I am so pleased to make your acquaintance!”

The girl looked cautious of him but she was not reaching for weapons.

“Lilly, I have something to propose. Your Father has… left you. His plans were foiled by a group of magicians and they made him pay for it. As a result, he will not be returning to you. However, I would like to take care of you… what do you say?”

Lilly shrugged at the offer. Her attachment to anyone was tenuous at best, even learning her Father was no longer around did not particularly bother her. She just wanted to play and told the weird man as much.

“Do you have fun toys? I like to play with people!”

The Contractor chuckled and nodded, pulling a small, dark object from under his cloak. It appeared to be a dagger similar to her own custom-made blade, but this was pure black, seeming to absorb the light around it. In the middle of the blade, she could see a small circular symbol.

“I think you will like this toy much more than your current one. It makes playing with people much more fun!”

Lilly’s eyes sparkled as she reached out to take the blade, her playful, sadistic smile crossing her lips as she handled the dark metal vessel. A new Dark King Candidate was born.

-Exit-